--When the Hawks finally make it back to Atlanta this weekend from their three-game Western Conference road swing, Zaza Pachulia will have a few more frequent flier miles in tow.

While his teammates hustled back to their Los Angeles hotel after Wednesday's win over the Clippers, Pachulia headed for the airport and a red eye flight back to Atlanta.

Pachulia said he had to get back for a mandatory appointment to finalize the paperwork on his work visa.

That meant a five-hour flight to Atlanta, hustling to make his appointment and then another flight Thursday evening back to California to meet the Hawks in San Francisco for tonight's game against Golden State.

"It's like flying back to Europe, it was so long," Pachulia said. "I got back to Atlanta about 9:30 [Thursday morning], handled my business and then I was back on a plane at 7 [p.m.]. I got in here about 9:30 [Thursday night]. It's like going from Atlanta to London. Man, it was a long day."

Pachulia didn't have to miss any work to get his business done. Hawks coach Mike Woodson gave the Hawks Thursday off. He took them out for a team lunch in Los Angeles before they boarded an afternoon flight for the quick hop to the Bay Area.

"Coach understands, obviously," Pachulia said. "I told everyone months before, so they knew my situation and that this was something that I had to do. And as long as I didn't have to miss a game or any practice I was fine."

--After opening this season with four consecutive road wins the Hawks have gone just 4-12 away from Philips Arena since.

After winning nine of their last 10 games in December, the Hawks have lost six of eight since.

Hawks coach Mike Woodson highlighted the obvious after Friday's loss.

"We're not playing great," Woodson said. "We're fighting and scraping. We're in games. Tonight it was just a shootout and we just didn't make the plays we needed."

QUOTE TO NOTE: "On the plane. At least I tried to. But we're used to it in this business. We fly so much that resting on the plane is just a part of our lives." -- Pachulia on where he slept during his all-day ordeal Thursday.